1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to array antennas. More specifically, the present invention relates to compact, lightweight and low profile digital phased array antennas.
While the present invention is described herein with reference to illustrative embodiments for particular applications, it should be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. Those having ordinary skill in the art and access to the teachings provided herein will recognize additional modifications, applications, and embodiments within the scope thereof and additional fields in which the present invention would be of significant utility.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is well known in the antenna art, phased array antennas include an array of radiating elements which cooperate to provide one or more output beams. Each beam is agile in that it may be steered electronically by controlling the phase relationships between each radiating element in the array.
A phased array antenna may include hundreds or thousands of radiating elements. It is readily appreciated, then, that the provision of an analog phase shifter for each element of the array is costly and adds to the weight of the antenna. The weight of the antenna is critical in certain, e.g., spacecraft, applications. Accordingly, array antennas have been developed in which the phase shifting of the transmitted or received signal is implemented digitally.
While digital phased array antennas have provided significant cost improvements for conventional phased array antennas, significant costs remain which are associated with other components of the conventional phased array antenna. For example, a conventional phased array antenna also, typically, includes a horn, an amplifier and filter and feed for each radiating element in the array. A particularly significant component of the costs associated with conventional phased array antennas is the need to provide an electrical connection between each radiating element and the amplifiers and other associated electrical components.
Thus, a need remains in the art to reduce the costs associated with the manufacture and use of phased array antennas.